Plasma catalysed production of hydrogen from hydrocarbons

We are recruiting new Doctoral Researchers to our EPSRC funded Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) PhD studentships starting 1 October 2024. Applications are invited for the project title Plasma catalysed production of hydrogen from hydrocarbons

Successful applicants will receive an annual stipend (bursary) of £21,237, including inner London weighting, plus payment of their full-time home tuition fees for a period of 42 months (3.5 years).

You should be eligible for home (UK) tuition fees. There are a very limited number (no more than three) of studentships available to overseas applicants, including EU nationals, who meet the academic entry criteria including English Language proficiency.

You will join the internationally recognised researchers in the Departments of Chemical and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Brunel University London

Project Details

The proposed project will investigate the novel technique of generating hydrogen from hydrocarbons using Plasmas Assisted Catalysis. This experimental research builds on current Brunel University London research and aims at using low temperature plasma (i.e. low energy requirement) to split hydrocarbons (both gaseous and liquids) into hydrogen and solid carbon, thereby relegating the process of CO2 emission. The products will be characterised using various techniques such as gas chromatography, scanning electron microscopy, Raman and Infrared spectroscopy. Research will involve understanding the reaction mechanism and the assessment of catalyst to increase the reaction kinetics. A batch process will first be considered, leading subsequently to a flow process, with increased hydrogen yield.

Further Information

Please contact Dr abhishek.lahiri@brunel.ac.uk or Professor tassos.Karayiannis@brunel.ac.uk for an informal discussion about this studentship

Eligibility

Applicants will have or be expected to receive a first or upper-second class honours degree in an Engineering, or Physical Sciences related discipline. A Master’s degree in a related area is an advantage but not essential.

You should be highly motivated, able to work independently as well as in a team, collaborate with others and have good communication skills.

How to apply

There are two stages of the application:

1.Applicants must submit the pre-application form via the following link

https://brunel.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/epsrc-dtp-24-25-pre-application-form-brunel-university-lon

by 16.00 on Friday 5th April 2024.

2.If you are shortlisted for the interview, you will be asked to email the following documentation in a single PDF file to cedps-studentships@brunel.ac.uk within 72hrs.

Your up-to-date CV;
Your Undergraduate degree certificate(s) and transcript(s) essential;
Your Postgraduate Masters degree certificate(s) and transcript(s) if applicable;
Your valid English Language qualification of IELTS 6.5 overall (minimum 6.0 in each section) or equivalent, if applicable;
Contact details for TWO referees, one of which can be an academic member of staff in the College.

Applicants should therefore ensure that they have all of this information in case they are shortlisted.

Interviews will take place in April/May 2024.

Meet the Supervisor(s)

Abhishek Lahiri - Dr. Lahiri joined Brunel University as lecturer in March 2020. He got his PhD from University of Leeds in 2008 after which he went on to do his Postdoc in USA and Japan. From 2011 he joined Clausthal University of Technology in Prof Frank Endres group and worked extensively on electrodeposition in ionic liquids and understanding the battery electrode/electrolyte interface. His work primarily focusses on electrochemical synthesis of functional materials using ionic liquids for energy storage and electrocatalysis. Besides, he focusses on sustainable extraction process for recovery of metal/metal oxides from electronic wastes and lithium ion batteries. In ionic liquids, the electrode/electrolyte interface is considerably different from aqueous electrolytes and therefore controlling and modifying the interface leads to change in functional properties of the materials. His research focusses and utilises the property of interfacial modulation to develop new functional materials and tries to bridge the gap between fundamental aspects of electrochemistry and applied electrochemistry. Questions such as can we design a suitable interface to develop dendrite-free deposits which are essential for developing high energy density Li/Na metal batteries are targeted. Besides, developing batteries for grid energy storage with sustainable materials are being researched.

Tassos Karayiannis - EDUCATION PhD Engineering Science, Convective Heat Transfer, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. BSc (hons) Mechanical Engineering , City University, London, UK. EMPLOYMENT 2020-present Director, Centre for Energy Efficient and Sustainable Technologies, Brunel Univ. London 2018-present Research Group Leader, Two-Phase flow and Heat Transfer, Brunel University London 2017-2020 Research Theme Leader, Energy Efficient and Sustainable Technologies, Brunel Univ. London 2014-2017 Vice Dean Education, College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences, Brunel Univ. London 2005-2014 Deputy Head of School of Engineering and Design, Brunel University London 2004-2005 Head of Department of Engineering Systems, London South Bank University 2001-2003 Head of Division of Environmental and Energy Engineering, London South Bank University 1993-2001 Head of Research, School of Engineering Systems and Design, London South Bank University 1998 Professor of Engineering; 1996 Reader in Mechanical Engineering; 1993 Principal Lecturer (Thermofluids); 1989 Senior Lecturer; 1988 Lecturer, London South Bank University 1994-1996 Honorary Senior Visiting Fellow; 1988-1994 Honorary Visiting Fellow, City University. 1986-1988 British Technology Group Research Fellow, Electrohydrodynamic Enhancement of Boiling and Condensation in Heat Exchangers, City University. 1986 Research Fellow, Cavitation Erosion, University of Southampton. 1981-1986 Teaching Assistant, The University of Western Ontario.

Related Research Group(s)

Advanced Powertrain and Fuels - We have particular strengths in improving the efficiency and reducing energy cost of existing engines through developing low temperature combustion processes and their controls and regenerative braking, as well as unique methodologies for the study of fuels and engines.

Wolfson Centre for Sustainable Materials Development and Processing - Research into the development and processing of new materials including nano-materials, nano-phosphors and nanostructured carbon, biofuels, polymers and bio-polymers.